Ohio State first-year athletics director Ross Bjork released a letter to “Buckeye Nation” last week laying out some of the university’s plans in the wake of the House settlement/NIL world.
The U.S. District Court granted a preliminary approval of the settlement agreement in the House vs. NCAA case earlier this year and a final decision is due on April 7, 2025. The terms of that agreement in part will require participating university to revenue share $20.5 million with student-athletes in the 2025-2026 season with a plan to increase that number annually by at least 4% (almost $1 million per year).
That money will be allocated 75% to football, 15% to men’s basketball, 5% to women’s basketball, and 5% to the other sports combined, including swimming, diving, water polo, and synchronized swimming.
While the revenue sharing was the primary focus of the settlement, it has also come with new roster limits and the removal of scholarship caps, with universities allowed to (but not required to) fund as many scholarships as their are roster spots.
Ohio State has one of the biggest athletics departments in the country, with 36 varsity sports. There has been a lot of speculation about whether the Buckeyes, one of the richest departments in the country, would be able to maintain funding for all 36 of those sports, but after early indicators that they were cutting scholarships for at least six sports, Bjork’s letter reaffirms that the school intends to maintain athletic scholarships for all 36 of its athletics programs.
Specifically, the letter from Bjork announces the addition of 91 new scholarships across both women’s and men’s sports.
Federal data shows that Ohio State has an approximately 50/50 split of male and female students (50.3% women), implying that to maintain Title IX compliance, those new scholarships will be equally distributed between men and women.
While Bjork’s letter didn’t lay out exactly how those 91 scholarships, one person close to the program said that they expected swimming and diving to receive a small increase in scholarship counts, but “not close to the full roster” number.
The six sports that were originally told they were losing all scholarships (which included men’s gymnastics and women’s synchronized swimming) will be close to their previous counts. After those teams were originally informed that they would be losing scholarships, Ohio State President Ted Carter said in an interview earlier this month that they would not be cutting scholarships. In his letter, Bjork credited the “support of President Carter, and our Board of Trustees,” which usually implies financial
Two programs will remain unchanged, and the rest will receive increases of varying degrees.
Most top-tier college football programs are expected to expand from the current 85 scholarship athletes to the new 105 limit, which would include a full-ride for every member of the team.
“We will also continue to work diligently to further reduce operating expenses while uncovering many of the new revenue sources that fit Ohio State traditional values,” the letter said. “We are committed to being
extremely innovative and creative amid these changes to the collegiate sports model. During these times of immense change, we have an opportunity to show the world what it means to be a Buckeye and lead the way into the future.”
Bjork took over as the athletics director at Ohio State in January after five years at Texas A&M. There, he became infamous for giving head football coach Jimbo Fisher a four year contract extension worth $9 million per year and then firing him three years later, owing him a $76 million buyout – which is three-times the size of the next-highest known coaching buyout by a public school.
Ohio State’s Athletics Department reported the highest earnings in the country in 2023 of $251.6 million, but also spent a record amount of money: $225.7 million.
The Ohio State women’s swim team won four straight Big Ten titles before losing to Indiana last season. The Ohio State men also finished 2nd behind the Hoosiers.
The Full Content of the Letter is Below
An Open Letter to Buckeye Nation
Buckeyes,
As your new Sr. Vice President and Wolfe Foundation – Eugene Smith Endowed Director of Athletics, I want to take a moment and personally reach out to everyone within Buckeye Nation. Since I arrived in Columbus in early March, and officially transitioned to the role on July 1, I have been truly amazed at the spirit, passion, breadth, and scale of our student body, fans and supporters. I have seen firsthand the power of the Ohio State brand and gained a deep appreciation for responsibility to uphold our core values and grow upon our strengths each and every day. As we begin the transition period for this new era of intercollegiate athletics here at THE Ohio State University, we must collectively harness and direct all of our assets so we can continue to lead and maximize our full potential.
I believe that strategic leadership alignment is essential to long term success. We appreciate the support of The Ohio State University Board of Trustee Athletics Committee as we navigate the evolution of our program. Further, President Carter has announced his new strategic plan entitled, Education for Citizenship 2035, and he emphatically stated that Collegiate Athletics is one of the six themes of the new strategic plan. We are grateful to work alongside the Board of Trustees and President Carter and we appreciate their vision, leadership, and support as we move forward together.
A central purpose of my first open letter to Buckeye Nation is to keep you informed of important developments related to the future model of college athletics and specifically the class action lawsuit known as House vs. NCAA. Recently, the U.S. District Court issued preliminary approval of the settlement agreement, with a final decision scheduled for April 7, 2025. Once finalized, this landmark settlement will reshape collegiate athletics and bring much needed clarity, not only for Ohio State but also our peers in the Big Ten and across NCAA Division I.
When the settlement is approved, here are the key changes that will go into effect July 1, 2025:
- Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Payments also referred to as “revenue sharing” for student-athletes: Ohio State University will be permitted to directly compensate student-athletes through NIL licensing agreements, anticipated to be $20.5 million in 2025-26. This new allocation of our department’s resources will increase annually by at least 4%.
- Previously, student-athletes could only receive scholarships and be compensated for NIL agreements supported by external entities.
- Roster and Scholarship Adjustments: New NCAA roster limits will set a cap on the number of athletes eligible for each team, and programs will now be permitted to fund as many scholarships as there are roster spots.
- NIL Backpay for Eligible Athletes: All Division I athletes who participated in collegiate sports between 2016 and 2024 are eligible for backpay for NIL earnings.
With support from President Carter, and our Board of Trustees, we are committed to maintaining 36 intercollegiate sports and athletic scholarships for all 36 programs, while also fully funding the $20.5 million dollars of direct payments to student-athletes. After a thorough review of factors such as Title IX compliance, national and conference sport sponsorship trends, our history of competitive success, and a sound fiscal plan, we are excited to announce the addition of 91 new scholarships across both women’s and men’s sports. We firmly believe this new investment will allow our programs to continue to compete for and win championships and keep excellence at the forefront of our mission.
As I continue to meet as many Buckeyes as possible, I have been asked many times, “How can we help?” or “What do you need from us?” To support these increased costs to our department and enhance the Circle of Care that surrounds each student-athlete with dedicated resources for their academic, athletic, and personal growth, we are actively reviewing a range of initiatives where all of Buckeye Nation can continue to stay invested or create new opportunities to be involved. They include but are not limited to: strengthen and expand the Buckeye Club and Champions Fund as the philanthropic arm of Ohio State Athletics, a revised football season ticket plan for 2025 season that meets the needs for as many Buckeye fans as possible, increasing corporate sponsorships, including new NIL agreements with student-athletes and naming opportunities across our athletics facilities, new strategic initiatives around licensing/branding relationships, continuing to enhance our facilities with the next phase of the athletics district, a combined men’s and women’s ice arena, Woody Hayes Athletics Complex, and several imminent upgrades at Ohio Stadium.
We will also continue to work diligently to further reduce operating expenses while uncovering many of the new revenue sources that fit Ohio State traditional values. We are committed to being extremely innovative and creative amid these changes to the collegiate sports model. During these times of immense change, we have an opportunity to show the world what it means to be a Buckeye and lead the way into the future.
To ensure the long-term success of our athletic programs, we are asking for the commitment and support of everyone who is part of Buckeye Nation. We will be sharing additional correspondence that will highlight the various ways in which you can help support your Buckeyes and together, we will preserve and enhance the proud legacy of Ohio State Athletics.
Thank you for all that you have done and will continue to do for THE Ohio State University.
Go Buckeyes!
Ross Bjork
Sr. Vice President & Wolfe Foundation – Eugene Smith Endowed Director of Athletics
